Container



May 21, 1929. HOBSON I 1,714,368

CONTAINER Filed Aug. 2, 1926 &

INVENTOR fi 14 11068010.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR WILLIAM HOIBSON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CONTAINER.

Application filed August 2, 192a. Serial at. 126,531.

My invention relates generally to improvements in containers for powdered or granular material and more particularly to a can of that type which comprises two relatiyely rotatable sections having lapped portions provided with openings which can be disposed eithcr in or out of register w1th each other according to whether or not it is desired to permit discharge of material from the can.

The invention consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container of the character described in which the discharge openings in the rotatable sections of the container are located adjacent to an end of the complete container so that all the contents of the container may be discharged therefrom when desired.

A further object ofthe invention is the provision of a container of the character described having novel means for retaining a cap section on an end portion of the body section of the container and for limiting the rotational movement of the cap section on the body section to dispose a lateral opening in the cap section either in or out of register with a lateral opening in the associated port-ion of the body section, as desired.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a container of the character described which will permit the contents thereof to be shaken from the container when a discharge opening of the container is uncovered without likelihood that such discharge opening will become clogged should the contents of the container be moistened.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a container of the character described which comprises but relatively few parts, can be manufactured and assembled with but relatively few operations, and is thoroughly practical, commercially.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a pers ective view of a can formed according to t e present invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective group view of the body and cap sections of the can separated from each other,

Figure 3 is a central vertical section through the improved can,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective group view of the cap section and the adjacent portion of the body section of a modified form of can embodying the invention,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective group view of the cap section and adjacent portion of the body of another modified form of the device.

A can embodying the invention as exhibited 1n Fi ures 1 to 4 inclusive comprises a body section 1, which is open at its upper end and is closed at its lower end by a bottom member indicated at 2. The body section is formed adjacent toits upper end with an outwardly extending bead or shoulder 3 which extends completely around the body of the can at a slight distance from the edge of the open end portion of the can body. The bead 3 may be formed by pressing a circumferentially extending portion outwardly as clearly shown in Figure 3. The portion of the can body that extends from the bead 3 to the upper edge of the can body is circular in configuration and the remainder of the can body may also be circular in configuration, although not necessarily so. The circular upper edge portion of the body of the can is provided with a lateral opening 4 which is located between the bead 3 and the upper edge of the body of the can and adjacent to the upper edge of the can body.

This opening L may be substantially rectangular in configuration as shown or may have any other desirable configuration. The upper edge portion of the can body is shown as being provided with a pair of diametrically opposite inwardly pressed portions 5, each of which extends for part'of the circumference of the can, thus producing a pair of diametrically opposite circumferentially extending narrow channels or grooves 6 in the outer face of the upper edge portion of the can. These channels or grooves have a length greater than that of the opening 4 for a purpose to be presently described.

The improved container exhibited in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive also includes a cap section 7 having a continuous marginal flange 8 of circular configuration adapted to fit snugly over the circular upper edge portion of the body of the can so that the head of the cap section 7 will abut the upper edge of the body of the can when the edge of the flange 8 of the cap section flange is in contact with the bead 3 on the body of the can. The flange 8 of the cap section is provided with a lateral opening 9 which preferably conforms in area and configuration with the openin 4 in the body of the can and is adapted to be moved completely in' register with the opening 4 or out of register with the opening 4 when the cap section is rotated on the upper edge portion of the body of the can. The cap section is retained against axial movement on the upper edge portion of the can body by a pair of diametrically opposite projections 10 which extend from the a inner face of the flange 8 of the cap section of the can into and engage with the grooves 6, such projections 10 preferably being inwardly pressed portions of the flange 8 of the cap section of the can, as shown. It, of

course, will be understood that the grooves 6 are located in the upper edge portion of the can with respect to the opening 4 so that the opening 9 in the flange of the cap section of the can will be completely in register with the opening 4 in the upper edge portion of the body of the can when the pro ections 10 are at one end of the guiding and retaining grooves 6, and that the opening 9 will be completely out of register with the opening 4 when the projections 10 are at the opposite ends ofthe grooves 6.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. The can may be made of any suitable material or materials and is adapted to hold any powdered or granular material which is sufficiently small to pass through the openings 4-9. For example, the body of the can may be made of glass so that the contents of the can will be visible. In order to confine the material within the can it only is necessary to position the cap section on the upper edge portion of the body of the can so that the opening 9 will be out of register with the opening 4. The cap section is preferably made of material that is resilient so that the portions 10 will snap into place in the guiding and retaining grooves 6 when the cap section is forcibly pushed from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position on the up per edge portion of the can body shown in Figures 1 and 3. The same means that limit the turning movement of the cap on the body section also serve to prevent the displacement of the cap section from the body section.

The modified form of the device shown in Figure 5 differs from the hereinbefore described form of the device only in that a plurality of perforations or small apertures 15 are formed in the upper edge portion of the can body 1, in lieu of the opening 4. The flange 8 of the cap section of the modified form of the device is provided with a similar series of perforations or small apertures 16, in lieu of the opening 9. The respective perforations 15 and 16 may vary in number and relative arrangement as desired and may be arranged in the form of rectangles as shown. The operation of the modified form of the device is identical in the essential respects with the operation of the form of the device exhibited in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and-it will be understood that the contents of the can may sift through the registering perforations 15 and 16 and will be confined within the can when the perforations 16 are out of register with the perforations 15.

If desired, index elements such as indicated at 17 and 17' respectively may be produced on the bead 3 of the body of the can as shown in Figure 1 for cooperating with the opening 9 in the car section or with any other suitable index e ement, not shown, on the cap section to afford instant visual indication that the cap section is either in open or closed position on the body section of the can.

The form of the device which is illustrated partially in Figure 6 has cooperative retaining and guiding means on the rim edge ortion of the body 1 and on the flange 8 o the cap section 7 for permitting turning of the cap section on the body of the can to position the perforations 16 of the cap in or out of register with the perforations 15 in the rim edge portion of the body as desired without inadvertent detachment of the cap from the body but without preventing easy removal of the cap from the bod to permit re-filling of the can or for any ot er purpose and as easy replacement of the cap on the body of the device. Such cooperative retaining and guiding means comprises inwardly pressed pro jections 10 at the inner side of the flange of the cap and grooved portions of the rim edge portlon of the body 1,.the eoncavities of such grooved portions being at the outer side of the rim edge portion of the body 1. Each of such grooved portions comprises a retaining part 20 which extends for part of the circumference of the rim edge portion of the body and a guiding part which communicates at its inner end with the associated retaining part 20 at a point somewhat nearer to one end of the part 20 than the opposite end of the part 20. The guiding part of each of said grooved portions of the body extends from the associated retaining part 20 toward the rim edge of the body at 21, then for a relatively slight part of the circumference of the body at 22, and finally completely to the rim edge of the body at 23. It is obvious that the projections 10 normally will remain in en agement with the retaining parts 20 o the grooved rim edge portion of the body as the cap is turned from open to closed position or vice versa and that the cap can be manipulated readily to cause the projections 10 to move along the parts 2122-23 from the'parts 20 and the cap removed when desired'for a purpose. Also, the cap can be replaced easily by placing the cap on the rim edge of the body with the projections 10 in position to engage with the grooved parts 23 and then manipulating the cap until the projections enter the retaining parts 20 of the grooved portions of the body 1. The form of the device shown in Figure 6 is particularly well adapted for use as a shaker holder for salt, pepper, or other powdered or granular material. The body ma be glass or any other suitable material.

bviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than those which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly {alll within the scope of the appended claim.

0 aim:

In combination, a can having an open end,

a telescopic cap for said open end having diametrically disposed protrusions upon the inner surface of its telescoping portion, each extending grooves for each protrusion, said grooves being arran ed in s stantially parallel osition, one a ove the other and connected by longitudinal grooves, said last named grooves being adapted for receiving the protrusions of the cap and permitting longltudinal movement thereof, the outermost groove being extended to the associated end of the can by grooves adapted for rcceivin the protrusions of the cap when dispose transversely thereto, whereby the ca is easily positioned on the can or removed t erefrom and also capable of a limited rotation upon the can.

ARTHUR WILLIAM HOBSON. 

